All software protection can be broken. It is just a matter of time. The only thing you can do is make the cost of breaking the protection higher than the cost of the product - ie it is only a temporary deterrent.
It is better to use other methods. Like the equivalent of the following eg Like some of the Delphi printing components evaluation copies - they print some copyright message or background shadow on the paper. The only pity is that this equivalent cannot be realised for some classes of programs. eg an License is issued to a person/company and the license encodes the licensed persons details, which is then used/spread throught out the program, so if any body takes a copy, they cannot change the licensed details - unless they buy a valid license. This also has the benefit of letting anybody use the software, and if they use it enough, or get annoyed enough with the incorrect license info, they will hopefully buy a valid license. My 2c. Myles. -----Original Message----- From: Leigh Wanstead [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, 12 November 2003 11:14 To: Multiple recipients of list delphi Subject: RE: [DUG]: Copy protection/program registration SoftICE for Windows can debug any windows application. strace is pretty good to print out any Linux application's api use. So there is nothing you can hide from it. Windows assmebler debugging is easier than DOS, as win api is documented. Unless you can play a game with the hacker using a virtual stack, someone will determine enough to know everything. Regards Leigh -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of vss Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 10:58 AM To: Multiple recipients of list delphi Subject: Re: [DUG]: Copy protection/program registration I have come across one program called "PicBasic" which uses some PC Specific information that you send back to them and they send you a key. What ever the software they use for the protection, its pretty good. I actually own the app. but was interested to see how strong it was, and beleive me, after about 2hrs of constantly hacking and playing, i could not crack it....so whatever it is, its great. I wanted to use the software for a project I have just finished, but the problem is that I cant make it PC specific. But its the only one I have never been able to work out how they do it. There used to be another one called VBOX that Symantec used to use. All that did was throw a chunck of code into your exe, so when you knew this, you just took that code out...needless to say i never used THAT software. Like I have already mentioned, I use ICE License, and its pretty good. I have looked at LockBox, but its not as easy to use as ICE....IMHO Jeremy -----Original Message----- From: Kurt at DBC <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Multiple recipients of list delphi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 10:41:34 +1300 Subject: Re: [DUG]: Copy protection/program registration > Leigh Wanstead wrote: > > > I think there is no need to pay too much attention on this. Just look > at how > > Borland did for Delphi product series. There is always someone can > hack the > > application if he/she consider it is worth it. Better put that energy > on > > improving software and offer a good support. > > > > Well, someone can always break into my house if they think its worth > it, > it ain't gonna stop me locking the door ;) > > (which is not to say I wouldn't be better putting that energy into > some home improvements, and being more supportive) > > Cheers, Kurt. > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz > To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with body of "unsubscribe delphi" > Web Archive at: http://www.mail-archive.com/delphi%40delphi.org.nz/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body of "unsubscribe delphi" Web Archive at: http://www.mail-archive.com/delphi%40delphi.org.nz/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body of "unsubscribe delphi" Web Archive at: http://www.mail-archive.com/delphi%40delphi.org.nz/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body of "unsubscribe delphi" Web Archive at: http://www.mail-archive.com/delphi%40delphi.org.nz/
